Strength
by ishala8
Summary: When Kiba is captured during an attack, no one expects to see him back in the village three months later unscathed and with no recollection as to what has transpired in his absence.
1. Prologue

**Title:** Strength

**Author:** ishala8

**Genre:** Hurt/Comfort/Romance

**Rating:** K (contains mild violence)

**Word Count:** 365

**Disclaimer:** If I owned Naruto, all the cute guys would be pairing up, Itachi wouldn't have died and the entire series would have ended _before _celebrating the half a thousand chapters releases.

**Summary:** A mission gone wrong.

**Dedicated to:** _FreedomFox_ whose fic 'Broken to Domination' made me fall in love with this pairing and who allowed me to use some of her ideas when my creative streak hit a wall.

**Last Revised On:** 31/05/11

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><p><strong>Prologue<strong>

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><p><em>It had started out as a simple C-rank reconnaissance mission in the Land of Waves. They got in, retrieved the required information and got out – simple, quick and easy. It wasn't until they had almost reached the boarders of the Land of Fire that they were intercepted and ambushed by a hostile group that had nothing to do with their mission.<em>

_They were mere thugs; low-lever missing nin and other scum that wouldn't have dared show their faces had they not significantly outnumbered their prey. That's how Kiba found himself in the midst of a wild fray, not knowing what to protect and what to target._

_Hinata held the retrieved scroll and Kurenai-sensei was sticking by her side, but he and Shino had been separated from the group and from each other. Kiba didn't worry too much as Akamaru jumped readily to his side, defending his back as he fought his way closer to the others. _

_Then, in a moment of sheer horror, the enemy numbers doubled while the two female members of Team 8 fell simultaneously. With no obvious reason as to why that might have happened, Kiba smelled the air as Akamaru whimpered._

"_Yeah, I smell it too, boy," he told his companion quietly as he stepped away from the fight so as to regroup. "Shino! There are more in the trees!"_

_There was poison in the air, which seemed to emanate from the three mysterious figures that hid within the surrounding vegetation. With an animalistic spin attack he dived towards his fallen comrades as Akamaru growled and tore into opponents left and right._

"_Hinata! Sensei!" he called urgently, with his back to them as he fend off enemies. Receiving no reply, he turned to assess the damage as Akamaru did his best to hold off the attacks for a short while._

_They were both down, Hinata already unconscious with Kurenai well on her way of joining her. Searching amidst the mass of unwashed, unconscious, writhing or fighting bodies for his only team mate standing, he saw Shino struggling to hold off three opponents at once while bleeding heavily from various wounds._

"_Shino!" He shouted, scared but determined. "Get them out of here!"_

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><p><strong><span>A Few Things to Clear Up:<span>**

**Warnings**

Yes, this WILL be a yaoi fic, yes, it WILL contain graphic content between minors and YES if you are offended by any of the above you shouldn't be here. Other than that, make sure to check the rating and warning accompanying each chapter and enjoy! ^^

**Ages**

Rookie 9 – 14

Team Guy – 15

Itachi – 17

**Timeline**

As you can see above, this fic is set after the chunin exams and Sasuke's defection, during the three year gap of Naruto's training.


	2. Chapter 1: Loss

**Title:** Strength

**Author:** ishala8

**Genre:** Hurt/Comfort/Romance

**Rating:** T (contains mentions of torture)

**Word Count:** 2944

**Disclaimer:** If I owned Naruto, Akatsuki would still be its lively self instead of a bunch of reanimated corpses.

**Summary:** The key to finding that which is lost.

**Dedicated to:** _FreedomFox_ whose fic 'Broken to Domination' made me fall in love with this pairing and who allowed me to use some of her ideas when my creative streak ran dry.

**Last Revised On:** 31/05/11

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><p><strong>Chapter One: Loss<strong>

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><p>Walking through the empty streets of Konoha in the early morning hours was something that Shino had grown accustomed to in the past two months. It was his way of coping with the loss and the extraordinary guilt that accompanied it.<p>

It was his fault. If he hadn't listened, if he had thought ahead, been stronger… There were so many ifs, so many things that could have been done differently. They terrorised his dreams and haunted his waking hours, because it was those ifs that could have prevented a tragedy.

That day three months ago when Kiba gave the order, he obeyed without question. They had talked about it before – the girls would always come first. Kurenai, who was like a second mother to the two of them, and gentle Hinata, the petite princess in need of support and protection were the two most important girls in their lives. If there was ever a doubt of whether or not they would make it, the boys would do everything in their power to get them out.

It was because of a promise the two had made on a tranquil day long ago, that he opened a scroll and transported the injured girls to safety, abandoning his team mate to fend for himself. He hadn't seen him since.

Kiba was like a ray of sunshine. He was a short-tempered, impulsive loudmouth with a heart of gold and a hidden disposition that match it. He was the caretaker and the one who made shinobi life bearable.

Always the one who to know exactly what to say to make Hinata feel better after a run-in with Neji or her father, to purposefully injure himself during training when realising that Kurenai was pushing herself beyond her limits to cater for her team and to befriend Shino's bugs when realising that they were the way to opening up Shino, Kiba was life. Without him, the fight had simply drained out of all the Team 8 members, as had their will to live.

Upon returning to the village it had taken a day to realise that Kiba would not be coming home and a week before the Hokage had managed to send out a search team. There had been not a trace of the Inuzuka or his ninken. The search teams had been given two weeks, the duration of which the still healing Team 8 members spend racing across treetops during the day and crying themselves to sleep every night.

Kiba wasn't found. With the village in dire need of more hands, no more shinobi were dispatched after him and his name was added to the memorial stone. Hinata fell sick and was bedridden for a week, Kurenai sought comfort in Asuma's arms and Shino got into the habit of prowling the streets whenever the nightmares got too bad to ignore.

The only one who appeared unaffected was Tsume. Upon receiving the news she scoffed and ordered Hana to join the search party sent to retrieve the 'big idiot'. When she returned without her brother, she swore, downed a bottle of sake and continued on with running the clan as if it was any other day.

"He'll get back when he is ready," she told Shino and never brought the subject back up.

She chose to treat her son's disappearance as a teenage rebellion, ignoring the pitying looks she received from the rest of the village's citizens. He was glad he was not an Inuzuka, Shino decided only to re-evaluate his decision one day when his morning walks led him to the village's main gate.

There was Akamaru running in circles and yipping to draw the guards' attention to the immobile figure laying some way down the mist obscured path. Rushing to past the guards, Shino paid them no mind as he kneeled by his friend's side and checked his pulse.

He was alive! Kiba was alive! With not even a scratch marring his body, the boy was finally home and was never leaving again if Shino had anything to say about it.

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><p>Kiba didn't wake up for three days and when he did, it was in a sterile hospital room, surrounded by friends and family. Tsunade had found time to come and check him up and all the boy's friends had followed her into the room, both dreading and anticipating her final assessment.<p>

Shizune, who had been taking care of the Inuzuka heir up to this point hovered anxiously at the back of the room, while Tsume lingered by the door. The distraught Team 8 members were huddled together by their team mate's bedside and the rest of the rookie 11 still in the village took up the remaining space in the room.

It was to this crowded scene that Kiba opened his eyes, blinked blearily and smiled tentatively. Cuddled by his feet, Akamaru whined softly and pandemonium broke out.

"Quiet!" ordered the Godaime loudly, stopping the noisy eruption in its tracks. "This is a hospital and you will all respect its rules of conduct or be thrown out immediately."

With that, she made her way closer to the bed and accepted a clip-folder from Shizune.

"How are you feeling?" she asked her dazed patient calmly as she read over the notes in her hands.

"My head hurts," groaned the boy. "What happened?"

Suddenly a deadly silence enveloped the room, causing a feeling of dread to wash over the Inuzuka heir. Was it that bad?

"Y-you do-don't remem-ber?" stuttered out a wide-eyed Hinata and Kiba suddenly felt bad for having to shake his head in answer to her question.

He never wanted to disappoint her and for some reason he felt as if he was forgetting something really important? Had he promised her something? And why was the sweet, bubbly feeling of love he usually got around her missing? What was going on?

"What is the last thing you remember, Kiba?" asked the Hokage and her young patient scrunched up his face in thought.

"We were in the Land of Waves getting ready to leave after completing a mission," he replied at last. "The bridge was full of vendors and we were looking around. A man heard us admiring the bridge and told us that it would have never been completed without the help of one great Konoha shinobi and his team. We ended up leaving in tears from all the laughter, I still can't believe anyone would use the word 'great' in the same sentence as 'Naruto'."

His attempt to lighten the mood only produced few, forced smiles as everyone in the room couldn't disguise the pity in their eyes. Kiba was scared and reached his hand to weave his fingers through Akamaru's fur in search for comfort.

"Kiba," spoke up the Hokage when it became clear that no one else wanted to share the news, "that was over three months ago. You team was ambushed and you were captured when you stayed back to hold off your attackers for the rest of the team to escape."

The boy froze, his whole body locking up. Akamaru yipped in pain as his fur was gripped harshly and butted his owner's hand away with his head. He, too, knew that something was wrong, but could remember nothing past a warm hand, fiery scent, and sense of safety and contentment.

"T-then what…?" he managed to get out.

"We were hoping you would tell us, actually," informed Tsunade. "You showed up at the village gates three days ago, unconscious but with no sign of an injury."

That was a lie, but she felt that it would be hardly fair for the entire room to learn of his misfortunes. Kiba's body was littered by scars that could be no more than two months old. It was obvious that they had been left unhealed on purpose, probably as some weak form of torture or punishment.

She knew that because there was evidence of healing present. Someone with adequate medical knowledge had set bones wrong and healed wounds shut without connecting ligaments or healing torn muscles. The boy must have felt excruciating pain during and after the procedure.

What she couldn't understand was the second part of the notes. Apparently, the Inuzuka had received secondary medical help. All the bones had been broken and reset properly and proper medical help had been administered to all open wounds.

The procedure that had been implemented reminded of basic first aid administered by someone who had undergone brief medical-nin training. That description only fit one group of people and that was ANBU. Yet why would an ANBU rescue and heal someone without taking them back to a village, either to return them home or use them as a source of information?

"I don't…" Kiba trailed off looking lost and the Godaime sighed.

"Rest up and don't worry about it," she advised. "We are going to run some more tests and you should be released by tomorrow. Till then, everyone out!"

"But, Tsunade-sama!" whined Lee only to find himself on the other end of the Hokage's glare.

Soon enough, after lots of protests and threats, the room had emptied out. Shizune took a blood sample from the confused boy and he was left alone with only Akamaru for company.

"Do you remember anything, boy?" he asked resignedly, receiving a sad bark and whine in reply. "Yeah, but I feel it too. Something's missing."

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><p>Upon being discharged from the hospital, Kiba had to deal with a teary Hinata, a clingy sensei and a best friend who somehow got it into his head to become his personal shadow. That entire day, he was never left alone, not even once. He was certain that he had even seen some of Shino's bugs in the bathroom when he was taking a shower.<p>

Everyone was acting as if he would disappear without warning and so he put aside his own worries in an effort to alleviate their own. He allowed himself to be dragged around town by his team mates, subjected himself to an hour-long lecture from his mother on how there was a fine line between self-sacrifice and foolhardiness, and even agreed to take a month-long break from missions as per his teacher's request.

Tsunade had warned him about the scars, but it wasn't until he had time to see them for himself before showering that he realised how bad they were. In a way, he was glad he could no longer remember the moments during which he acquired them. He was also horrified. Was he going to be subjected to a lifetime of disfigurement without even knowing why or how?

Twin diamond-shaped scars adorned either of his shoulders and run all the way through to his back as if someone had pinned him to the ground by katanas. They were the worse in sense of magnitude, but the raised lines that criss-crossed his back and silvery veins that were evident across his chest, arms and legs painted a gruesome picture.

He had been whipped and cut; tortured for something he had no recollection of. It hurt to not remember, maybe even more than the sight of the scars. It hurt, because the overwhelming sense of loss was still present and somewhere deep in his soul, he knew that whatever it was that he was missing, it had the power to make things right.

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><p>It was a whole two weeks after his return to Konoha and Kiba was walking through the training grounds with his faithful companion, lost in thought. Like so many times before, he found himself stopping by the memorial stone and gazing at the empty spot that had once held his name.<p>

During his last visit at the hospital, the Hokage had met him to make a final assessment. Physically, there was nothing wrong with him that would explain his missing memories. Her theory was that his subconscious was responsible for blocking them from him so as to prevent the mental scarring that accompanied them.

It was anyone's guess wether or not he would ever remember. His family and friends hoped he wouldn't, the Hokage – albeit guiltily – hoped he would. A full account of his ordeal was needed to make sure that he had divulged no secrets that would endanger the village.

Normal procedure required Kiba to subject himself to a questioning session with a Yamanaka and it was only due to Tsume and Kurenai's insistence that he had been spared the treatment. The two women argued that Kiba had been made privy to no secrets and as such, possessed no threat.

They were afraid that any foreign presence within his mind would cause his memories to return and wished to protect him from the terror. Still, the idea had appealed to the boy. He _wanted _to remember.

While not fond to the idea of having someone traipsing through his mind, Kiba's heart broke at the thought of never finding out what he had lost. He was not looking forward to the nightmares, but he wanted the comfort Akamaru remembered the two of them to have found.

That was the other thing. No one had thought to ask, but Akamaru's memories of the event were also missing. Kiba was certain that had nothing to do with chance. Someone who had known of the Inuzuka clan's trait of talking to their companions had gone to lengths to keep the past three months from him.

Finally finding the courage, he turned around and walked briskly back to the village, ending up in front of the Yamanaka flower shop. Practically barging in, he made a bee-line for the back where he found Ino leaning casually atop the register.

"Kiba!" she exclaimed happily, her entire countenance lighting up at the sight of a familiar face. "How can I help you? I have to admit that I never expected to see you around here. Did you finally decide to try your luck with Hinata? She likes lilies!"

"Um, no, it's…" he stammered, suddenly having second thoughts. "Could we go somewhere more private?" He managed to get out before loosing his nerve. "I need to ask you for a favour."

The smile dropped off her face at the serious request and she nodded. Calling back for her mother to manage the shop, she grabbed his arm and pulled him outside. Neither talked as they made their way through Konoha's crowded streets until they reached the Kage summit.

"So, what's up?" asked Ino as the two of them sat upon the Sandaime's head, looking on as civilian sculptors worked vigilantly so the Godaime's head could join the rest.

"I-I…" began Kiba only to shake his head. "You know how I was supposed to have a Yamanaka search for my missing memories?" Ino nodded slowly. "Well, I want you to do it."

"Tha-" began the girl only to be cut off.

"I don't know what you will find or even if I want you to," admitted the Inuzuka heir. "I just want to be prepared in case I actually have to go through the official check-up. I want to be prepared and also want to know for myself without the entire village finding out. If you are not comfortable with the idea, then I won't force you into anything. It's just…"

"You don't want anyone to know of what I find out?" asked Ino for clarification, really not knowing what to think.

Kiba nodded guiltily. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have-"

"No, it's fine," intervened the girl with a smile.

Shimmying further from the edge of the cliff she motioned for the Inuzuka to do the same and linked her hands in the telltale sign for her clan's mind-controlling jutsu. For a few minutes, nothing happened and then Kiba tensed at the foreign presence he felt sliding over his own.

There was mild discomfort as Ino wadded through his mind. He felt her recoil at the memories of his scars and become annoyed, then confused at something else. A piercing pain accompanied one of her frustrated mental shoves and after a long time she returned to her body in the same flowing fashion she had entered it.

It took her a while to regain awareness and when she did a frown marred her face. She muttered to herself, shook her head and gave him an apologetic look.

"What?" questioned Kiba, thrown off by her bizarre reaction.

"I don't know!" she wailed, throwing her arms in the air. "Everything is just blank. There are some flashes of a fight the further back I go, but the entirety of the three months is just this giant black dot. I don't get it! I thought I felt something, like a barrier or a trace of chakra, but couldn't find anything. I'm sorry."

"No," admitted the boy, "I'm kind of glad you didn't find anything. Thank you for trying."

What he didn't tell her was that he had felt it too. The barrier, the chakra… They were subtle but they were there and they reminded him of the missing presence. It was a comfort to find that it hadn't been the bad guys who had messed with his mind, but also a source of frustration. What had happened?

* * *

><p>That night he had the first dream. He re-lived the battle, felt his body swarm with adrenaline and woke up sweating in terror. Rather than a dream or nightmare, was a missing piece of himself and so he welcomed it.<p>

Whatever it was that Ino had done, it had caused the barrier blocking his memories to weaken. They would be back, he understood that now and both anticipated and dreaded their return.


	3. Chapter 2: Incentive

**Title:** Strength

**Author:** ishala8

**Genre:** Hurt/Comfort/Romance

**Rating:** MA (contains rape and dark themes)

**Word Count:** 2495

**Disclaimer:** If I owned _Naruto_, Danzo would have never existed and if he had, he would have been much smarter that what Kishimoto made him out to be.

**Summary:** There are some things that best remain lost.

**Dedicated to:** _kana-chan 413_, my first reviewer. Thank you!

**Last Revised On:** 05/06/11

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><p><strong>Chapter Two: Incentive<strong>

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><p>After that initial dream, no more had followed. He had sought all kinds of ways in which to unlock the rest, but nothing had worked. A week passed with him retreating more and more into himself before Hinata – timid, sweet Hinata – barged into his room, dragged him onto the training field where she proceeded to colour him in blue and purple.<p>

Fazed, sweaty and exhausted, he lay in the middle of the field under Kurenai's proud gaze and Shino's quiet amusement as the Hyuga heiress offered a stuttering apology. Apparently, the Hokage had given the green light that allowed him to rejoin his team for training and Hinata had found an impromptu spar to be the most effective way to get him away from his 'dark and g-gloomy thoughts'.

Training was… interesting. After that initial tussle where his unwillingness to hit a girl without a reasonable explanation as to her actions had led to lots of pain and bruising, he discovered that his speed and reaction time had improved drastically since the last time he'd trained with his team.

Akamaru also performed better than usual and it suddenly became obvious that some time during their absence, they _did _train. His body knew how to respond to unexpected attacks and he found himself thinking ahead, planning his attacks rather than executing them instinctively.

That last discovery was rather unsettling. He remembered the long hours Kurenai had spent trying to convince him to study battle tactics only to fail spectacularly at the task. It was a miracle that he showed prowess in the area, but dreadful the thought of who or what had forced him into practicing it.

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><p><em>Against all odds, he was winning. He could swear he was. What felled him was an attack as cowardly as his attackers – a poisoned senbon that grazed his cheek. It was thrown by one of the three shinobi hiding in the trees while he was facing seven others.<em>

_He barely had time to give Akamaru a brief order before loosing consciousness, his last image one of his wounded companion disappearing in the forest. None of the missing-nin thought to go after an animal, showing how much they knew._

_Upon coming to, Kiba found himself bound, gagged and blindfolded, laying on the hard, earthy ground. He could hear the unruly voices of his captors, smell their unwashed bodies and feel the heat of the grand bonfire they had gathered around. _

_Still, nothing was clear – vivid – even to his senses, meaning that there was an obstacle between him and them. They were at a campsite and he had been placed in one of the tents. _

_Growling softly, he attempted to loosen the ropes holding his arms safely secured behind his back only to hiss in pain. He _really _hoped that shoulder wasn't dislocated, but the stinging scratches along his left side were telling. They had _dragged _him back to camp like one would a rag doll! _

_With no time to contemplate the matter further as the tent flap was thrown open, he braced himself for the worse. Allowing nothing more than a pained groan escape him as he was kicked across his injured side, he felt his weakened body being picked up and dragged outside unceremoniously._

_A meaty hand ripped the gag from his mouth and he was dropped to the ground like a sack of potatoes. He snarled at his invisible captors only to be graced by a harsh slap across the face. Kiba spat blood on the dirt ground, fighting to remain strong._

_He was a shinobi. While he may have not passed the chunin exams, he was a fighter and would never betray his village in face of anything these savages threw his way. But a sinister voice whispered his fears gleefully in his ear, taunting his current predicament – alone, abandoned and with his source of strength no where in sight._

"_So this is him?" said a scratchy voice in an approving tone, from somewhere amidst the jeering crowd. "You are right; he _will_ prove entertaining to break."_

"_I'll never tell you _anything_!" spat the Inuzuka heir, prompting boisterous laughter from the drunken crowd._

"_Oh, my dear boy," replied the same man in a mocking manner while harshly pulling down the blindfold to reveal himself as a wiry old man, with rotten teeth and a scar-littered face and body, "talking is the _last _thing we'll have you doing. Screaming and begging, now _that's _a more suitable pastime for that beautiful mouth of yours!"_

_Kiba shuddered as a bony finger ran down the side of his face. The man reminded of a rodent – dirty and flea-bitten, yet commanding fear into the hearts of others with that insane light in his eyes._

"_Well boys," he announced loudly to make himself heard over the leering spectators and roaring fire, "have at him!"_

_A cold, all-encompassing feeling of dread swarmed over Kiba with the advancing crowd. He had no time to brace himself as he was pushed harshly onto the ground and descended upon._

_Later, when alone and praying for death, the scene would remind him of a pack of wolves descending upon a fresh kill. At that moment though, his mind was blank, overruled by sheer pain and terror._

_They beat him, their giant boarish hands knocking him around as they fought to tear away his clothing and hold him down. When the first entered his young, virgin body he screamed and didn't stop until one of the men stuffed his member down his delicate throat._

_Biting down as a defence mechanism, he drew blood and vomited all over the filthy ground the moment, his throat was clear. A hard slap made him stars and choke on blood before a new obstruction to his windpipe was introduced._

_The Inuzuka choked and fought for breath as his ears rang, eyes burned with tears and entire body screamed at the agonizing violation. He was breaking and there was nothing he could do about it. As his struggles became increasingly weaker, new tormentors replaced the old and new ones after them and then more and more…_

_Kiba was thankful for the one who grabbed his restrained arms and forced them past their natural position as the searing pain was overpowered by blissful oblivion. There was no way to tell how his body would be desecrated after passing out, but at least he could escape the nightmare, no mater how brief the reprieve._

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><p>The scream of terror that shattered the early morning peace of the Inuzuka compound that day would be one remembered by all present for years to come. Some claimed it was the sound the dead at the very depths of hell, communicating their torment to the living. Others pegged it to evil spirits and others still, to the devil itself.<p>

Only the clan heads knew the truth. That soul-shattering plea for mercy had been uttered by a fourteen-year-old ray of sunshine – their prized heir. Hearts broke that day, but no one was brave or heartless enough to ask after laying witness to the heir's haunted eyes and soul-wrenching tears.

Life continued as normal, for everyone but Kiba. After that day, he would disappear for days on end. Rumour had it that he was training. Some would swear they had seen him in the training fields, others at the library and more still, at the hospital.

Some days he forgot to return home, or simply lost consciousness in the training fields, where he pushed himself beyond the limit. He worked with a drive that was scary in its intensity.

Tsume was worried for her son, but it was Kurenai who finally intervened.

She found her student at the training fields before dawn had even broken on the horizon. Black rings under his eyes paid testimony to the little sleep he had allowed himself that past month and his previously light frame was now weakened by malnutrition and negligence.

No words were exchanged as they attacked each other on sight. Both channelled hopelessness and frustration into their moves, caring little for their opponent's welfare and instead trusting them to hold their own. They collapsed simultaneously, breathing heavily and trembling with resentment.

"What do you hope to accomplish by killing yourself?" demanded the woman, glaring at her panting pupil.

Instead of replying, Kiba laughed, a half insane laugh that didn't belong in the lips of a child, inspiring a shudder of dread from his teacher. She could see him slipping away and didn't even know if she was scared for or _of_ him.

"Have you gone insane?" she demanded harshly, willing her eyes to obey her and show no fear in light of the immense anguish being projected unchecked and unknowingly by her pupil.

"I wish," he replied bitterly, managing to unsettle Kurenai to her very core.

"Kiba," she tried again to reach the broken boy, "please, talk to me. I can help, but not if you shut me out."

For a long while, there was no reply as an intense war played out in the depths of Kiba's expressive eyes. Then he collapsed and it was as if he simply let go, breaking down and revealing days of silent suffering in front of a horrified kunoichi.

Kneeling beside the distraught Inuzuka, she drew him into her arms, allowing him to let it all out. It was heartbreaking to see someone so young appear so broken. Was this the legacy of Konoha? Was the village destined to break its children, draining them of their hope and innocence?

"See? It feels better when you let it all out," Kurenai reassured the boy with a forced smile.

A choked laugh escaped the boy in her arms. "Thank you, Kurenai-sensei. I think I needed that. Even Akamaru can't put up with me these days."

At the mention of the loyal ninken, Kurenai started to realise he could see him no where in the immediate area. The Inuzuka clan were never seen their animal partners, it took something very extreme to separate the two.

"What happened?" she asked gently, patting the boy's unruly hair soothingly.

"He feels my pain and it hurts him," came Kiba's muffled reply. "Distance makes it better so he stays at the compound."

"I meant what happened to make you this way?" clarified the woman filling the new information for future reference.

"I-I… I remembered something… I think." He sounded so vulnerable, so unsure that it broke her heart. "It was so bad, sensei! I was terrified! I've never felt so helpless before in my life and I never want to feel that way again."

"Pushing yourself beyond the limits won't fix anything, Kiba," she advised gently, not willing to push for details.

"But I need to get stronger!" he sounded panicked. "I need to make sure I can protect myself, because if I can't, then he-"

Kiba cut himself off sharply and appeared confused, as if trying to work something out.

"Who is 'he'?" prompted Kurenai only to receive a head shake.

Eyes wide, he looked up at her and uttered the next words as if afraid of what they entailed, "I-I don't know."

* * *

><p><em>He came to around noon the next day, feeling like the dead. Both his arms were swollen and discoloured laying uselessly by his sides, three of his fingers were broken, his lungs screamed with every breath laying testament to broken ribs and his entire body burned as if it was licked by eternal flames. However, it was the agonising pain that pierced his backside every time he moved and raw feeling in his throat that managed to reduce the hardened warrior to tears.<em>

_His body had been desecrated – Kiba had lost his innocence in the hands of his merciless captors and there had been nothing he could have done to prevent it. The fiery hope that had always burned persistently in his soul dimmed, abandoning him as he lost his faith in it. Without hope of a rescue, he cried for relief, praying for the soothing, uncomplicated darkness of that place between life and death._

_It never came. Instead, the man he had identified as the leader of this merciless lot of bandits was the one to walk in the tent and laugh heartlessly in face of his tears._

"_Broken already?" he derided, poking fun where it hurt. "Usually it takes much longer, but then again you _are _from Konoha… I have to say I'm disappointed in you."_

"_Why?" asked Kiba brokenly, not understanding how someone could be so cruel for no reason._

"_Why?" sneered the man. "My men deserve some fun. Who am I to refuse them the pleasure?"_

_All of a sudden, blazing anger erupted through the prone figure at the disparaging tone. Eyes full of life and hate locked with a derision-filled man._

"_You are nothing but a pathetic fool possessing not even a shred of dignity or sense of shame," he ground out painfully, his voice sounding pained and coarse in his ears. "You are a coward who knows that can never command true respect or even fear from his followers and so bribes them with gifts. These men are savages and you feed their bloodlust in hopes of blinding them to your motives. Here's a piece from one who knows: crazed dogs need to be put down before they turn on their masters. How do you plan to accomplish that with your own?"_

_The light of insanity burned brighter in the leader's eyes with every word that left Kiba's lips. By the end of that speech, he was half-mad with rage and fear, managing nothing more than a deranged howl as he pulled twin sais from his belt and used them to pin the boy to the ground through his disfigured shoulders._

_A broken scream escaped the Inuzuka's lips before the older man straddled his hips and pulled out a kunai, maniacally slashing and stabbing at the prone form beneath him. It was at that moment that the boy made a vow to himself, one that wadded slowly but surely through the excruciating pain. He would not allow this fallen man to draw him down to his level – no matter what happened, this was not the place where he would be beaten._

* * *

><p>The next morning found Kiba prostrating himself at his sleepy sensei's feet, begging for intensive training. Thrown off kilter, Kurenai could only nod, promising to fulfil the request. Later that day, when Kiba beat both of his team mates soundlessly at practice, she was assured she made the right choice. The determination she could feel seeping out of the young boy would never be lost or overcome.<p>

As for Kiba, he had made his choice. His innocence had been lost and he could no longer look at the world through rose coloured glasses. The chunin exams were coming around once more and this time he would join Shikamaru at the other side for he was no longer a child.

* * *

><p><strong><span>A Few Things to Clear Up:<span>**

**Rape/Torture**

I know rape is sick, cliché and offensive to some while unnecessary to others, but I really need it to happen now for the plot to progress later. Some people might dispute me on that point and that's fine. Let me know why and I'll try to explain my reasoning better.

For the rest of you, I hope I made it as mild and inoffensive as possible and that you enjoyed the new developments. Thank you for your support so far!


	4. Interlude 1: Always a Team

**Title:** Strength

**Author:** ishala8

**Genre:** Hurt/Comfort/Romance

**Rating:** K+ (contains long winded explanations)

**Word Count:** 1095

**Disclaimer:** If I owned Naruto, I wouldn't spend every day lamenting Itachi's death.

**Summary:** Akamaru's struggle.

**Delay due to:** Exams. Sorry. *winces*

**Last Revised On:** 02/07/11

* * *

><p><strong>Interlude One: Always a Team<strong>

* * *

><p>Akamaru remembered the day he was first entrusted to Kiba clearly. That day a young, untried pup had met another, neither willing to bend and acknowledge the other as their partner.<p>

The human child he had met then had been silly, irresponsible and rash. He might have been the heir, but Akamaru had refused to accept a weakling as a master.

It had been a bumpy ride, but soon the ninken had seen the heart of gold hiding under the boy's rough façade. With knowledge of the other came acceptance and they came to work together, forming a resilient bond between them.

Many in the clan had commented on their bond, its strength and potency. They made a great team, one of the best the clan had ever seen. Unlike many others before them, they had managed to form what was known as a life bond.

The Inuzuka clan had discovered life bonds by chance some time during Konoha's formation and had assumed them to be an asset. Life bonds allowed two beings to bind their energy so closely together that they literally became one.

As the clan members were so attuned to their ninken, the bonds formed naturally. It wasn't until later that a jutsu was devised with the purpose of strengthening that connection. When the original bond allowed the two to work as one, the jutsu allowed them to _become _one. It allowed them to see the world from the other's eyes, share their chakra, thoughts and emotions, and always maintain a connection with the other.

It became the clan's greatest strength and most deeply guarded secret. It worked between partners and soon the clan idealised the idea of a life bond, passing it as a union greater than marriage.

However, with this new development came complications. It was alright to bind a human with their ninken. They fought together and died together no matter what. But with humans, not both were sent to the same mission, but if one died, so did the other. Instead for mourning a single loss with every death, they had to mourn two.

As the clan's numbers thinned, life bonds became a forbidden art. Natural ones had to be discovered individually and the jutsu that accompanied them was soon lost in time.

Akamaru had heard whispers of it from some of the oldest in his pack and in a way, he was _glad_ to realise that his own bond with Kiba was so potent and pure. Even with chakra to aid them, it was a known fact that ninken would never live past their fortieth year. With the bond, however, they would age and die with their partners, never having to deal with premature loss one way or another.

On the other hand, a bond so strong could prove problematic in cases such as this. The ninken could feel his partner's pain as if it was his own and it was stretching his limits, driving him insane with the need to _do _something, make it better and make it _stop_.

There was nothing he could do, though. Like Kiba, he was also missing his memories so there was nothing he could offer to ease the suffering. He couldn't even get close enough to reassure the other that things would get better as closing the physical distance between the two of them would mean bringing each other to their knees due to the sheer strength of their shared, rampant emotions.

It was because of his inability to help that he chose to stay away. There was nothing he could do but trust Kiba to make things right and while his mind called that cowardice, his instincts screamed with the rightness of it all. This was Kiba's battle and until he was ready to take the next step into adulthood and leave all innocence behind, Akamaru could do nothing but wait for him at the other side.

* * *

><p><em>He never wanted to leave him, but Akamaru was too wounded to defend Kiba on his own. His only bid to save his partner from a cruel fate was to make it to the village or intercept the rescue team his team mates were sure to have sent after the two.<em>

_He was the only who could track Kiba's natural scent. The boy was so in tune with his surroundings that his own scent and chakra would change the longer he remained in one place so as to blend seamlessly in with his surroundings. Kiba was literally able to blend in and disappear at will in any environment, but the same could happen unwittingly, something that would cause problems in situations like this._

_It was the clan's bloodline that carried the skill. While not as potent or effective in most clam members, it was still present. That was the reason all had to be partnered with a ninken as the animal had chosen them based on the faint, undiluted scent that was hidden deep within an Inuzuka's being. Only partners could recognise the other's pure essence and that's why the village needed Akamaru's help._

_Kiba was a prodigy amongst the Inuzuka. The diminishing bloodline had manifested in the heir stronger than ever before, leading the clan to shelter him more than normal. He was the oddity who was kept in the dark about clan and village politics so as to grow naturally and unhindered. _

_That was the way of the Inuzuka – to never push gifts and bloodlines, but rather nurture them and allow for nature to take its course. It was what had led other clans to call them weak and foolish, yet they believed it to be strength. The clan was united and no Inuzuka had ever broken to pressure._

_Now, that same clan quality that had protected Kiba's innocence would be the thing to break him. The boy was innocent, pure and ignorant to the darkness of the shinobi world. He would never survive captivity and so Akamaru pushed on despite his weakened state, desperate to prevent his partner's slow and painful death._

_So immersed was he in his struggle to keep running, he didn't see the back guard of the missing-nin trailing after him. By the time he noticed, he was surrounded and there was nothing he could do but brace for a hopeless struggle._

_He would not fail his partner – not now, not ever. If one went down, the other would follow, but until then, they would both fight tooth and nail for survival. The ones who dared threaten them and forced them to separate would pay._

* * *

><p><strong><span>A Few Things to Clear Up:<span>**

**Chapter**

I wanted to show a bit of Akamaru's perspective and his role in the story. A bit of Inuzuka clan history somehow found its way in the mix… No, I don't think the chapter does everything I wanted it to, but it could get there. Frankly, I think I've made you wait long enough for an update so this is all I can do for now.

**Rush**

Personally, I think that the entire fic is kind of rushed. The point right now is to manage weekly updates and get through the plot. I might edit it later, but until then, let me know what you think.


	5. Chapter 3: Routine

**Title:** Strength

**Author:** ishala8

**Genre:** Hurt/Comfort/Romance

**Rating:** T (contains mentions of torture)

**Word Count:** 1491

**Disclaimer:** I still don't own it, but now that Itachi is back I wish I did.

**Summary:** When both body and mind are held prisoner, all the world stands to a still.

**Delay due to:** My unwillingness to post an awful chapter. ***IMPORTANT*** It's still painfully bad, but I posted a oneshot of the same pairing called _Devotion_ as a sort of peace offering. I hope you forgive me.

**Last Revised On:** 03/11/11

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter <strong>**Three: **Routine

* * *

><p><em>Kiba did not know how long he lay there, battling with the ever-present darkness that threatened to overcome him after that latest torture. When he noticed the change in atmosphere, there was already a gruff healer pawing at his body. He poked at open wounds with unnecessary force and simply stemmed the blood-flow in some of the more serious ones.<em>

"_Boys don' wan' ya passing out 'gain t'night," he said as a way of explanation, fixing his mangled shoulders with a crude jutsu._

_The man's exit was as abrupt as his entrance had been. In his wake, he left nothing but a broken, trembling boy, a slice of stale, mouldy bread and pitcher of a vile-smelling liquid that could not even pretend to have been mistaken for water._

_True to the promises of both the camp's leader and healer, that night was like the first for Kiba. The brawly hands, drunken talk, tormenting men, sadistic laughs… Worse of all was the defilement of not only his body, but also his soul._

_That night, Kiba tasted hell. It was a place of constant torment and the stench of death. It suffocated ones senses with pain, attacking from all fronts while tempting one with a half-forgotten memory of peace that would forever elude them. Hell was cold, dark and lonely, tormenting to both mind and body; it was eternal suffering that would forever hound its victim._

* * *

><p>As the time passed, Kiba's daily life settled into routine. He would wake up drenched in sweat and chocking on suppressed screams two hours before dawn, retreat to the forest bordering the clan's training ground to work through katas and meditate, making it back home just as Hana's alarm would go off, waking her to leave for the clinic.<p>

A short shower and rushed breakfast later would see him at the Team 8 training grounds napping with Akamaru as he waited for his team to arrive for training. Shino would arrive an hour after him, followed by Hinata and Kurenai and they would train for two hours. They would then complete D-ranked missions within the village till the afternoon – breaking for lunch if possible – before he had to leave to attend clan meetings.

This last was a new development insisted upon by the clan elders and loudly opposed to by Kiba. As it turned out, clan heir or not, the young Inuzuka was allowed no say in the matter and had to subject himself to two hours of daily torture. He would just sit quietly to a side as his mother talked and resolved issues concerning finances, mission injuries, rosters, patrols, disputes, engagements, births, deaths…

Seriously, if a clan of around six hundred individuals and their dogs produced such bureaucracy, just what did the Hokage have to deal with on a daily basis? It was no wonder she was always drunk; he would be too if he was in her place.

As it was, he was simply frustrated and antsy by the time he was let out to join Kurenai for extra training. He was only allotted two hours with her before he was required to return to the compound for a shower before dinner, to which attendance was compulsory. Afterwards, his mother, sister and their ninken would trap him in the living room for an hour-long lesson on clan and village politics before he could escape to bed for five hours of disturbed sleep.

All of a sudden, everyone found it necessary to be stepping on glass whenever he was around. Friends would abruptly end conversations whenever he entered a room, everyone but his team mates would make excuses to avoid training with him as if any kind of combat would cause him to lapse into some kind of catatonic state… Even his clan, in a rare moment of unwarranted and unwanted concern, had forbidden him to accept missions outside the village. This decision was seconded by the village council who deemed him too 'unstable' to accept _any_ missions, period.

Tsunade and Kurenai had done everything in their power to loosen the restricting leash with which he was bound, but even the power of their influence had limits. All missions were accepted by his team and his involvement was kept off-record, his training sessions were kept quiet…

As days morphed to weeks, those many 'nothings' in Kiba's routine became a 'something' that was threatening his sanity. His body and mind no longer ran in the same reality; his dream self was breaking and yet there was nothing he could do.

It was as those around him started to notice the small signs of him loosing touch with reality that something changed.

* * *

><p><em>He did not know how long it had been. One's sense of time changed when in captivity – days felt like months and weeks like years. Kiba no longer cared, no longer reacted. It had been a really long time since he last attempted to fight back. That last time hadn't even been an attempt at freedom, simply an affirmation of will.<em>

_That same medic-nin had come to visit him at the end of day. It had become an expected, but undesired ritual by now. With every visit, the pain would become worse and even one as clueless as Kiba was at healing knew that it was being done on purpose. Wounds like the ones he acquired from the nightly 'fun' and the daily torture were not supposed to be healed artificially. _

_Below the smooth, sickly coloured layer of skin lay broken bones, torn ligaments and cut muscles. It hurt, excruciatingly so, and Kiba wanted nothing more than the pain to stop. That's why he resisted the healing. Like a cornered animal, he had turned and bitten the healer's arm with elongated fangs and feral eyes._

_Within second he had been on his back, four men holding him down and the medic-nin glaring from above while easily closing his own injury. He made a show of inspecting his arm, before smiling in a show of rotten teeth. _

_Instead of being raped that night, Kiba had been dragged to the centre of the camp and tied to a tree. The change of procedure had been easily explained to the men by their leader: feeling unappreciated, the medic-nin had demanded for a chance to showcase his skills._

_After that first introduction to chakra scalpels and their many uses, his captors no longer sought to sate their lust through Kiba's body. Instead, they derived pleasure from the sight of his blood and the tortured screams that tore through his bloodied throat._

_Body broken and mind well on its way of joining it, Kiba now lay near the campfire where the last bout of torture had taken place. No one even bothered to tie him up anymore – he would not be moving, no matter how strong his will._

_There was more activity around the camp than usual, but Kiba was in no shape to acknowledge the fact. On the border of unconsciousness, he distantly felt hot tears burn trails down his dirtied cheeks. It hurt to know that death was so far away, especially when there was no chance of escape._

_He refused to eat, but the medic-nin simply injected him with unknown chemicals. He insulted his captors during his torture sessions, making them mad, but not enough to kill him. He attempted to kill himself in every way possible, only to end up so tightly restrained that he could barely breathe. _

_It was hopeless and he knew it. There was no escape in any form of the word, all he could do was endure and learn to block out the pain. He was getting there and that's why he barely registered the motions of someone picking him up and throwing him in a supply wagon. _

_He didn't feel the bumps in the road that jarred his body and reopened past wounds. The raucous of voices, bad singing and feet trampling over dried leaves, hard-packed soil or green vegetation did not reach him. Even as burly arms picked him up and threw him into a mouldy dungeon, he was too out of it to understand what was happening._

* * *

><p>Kiba woke up numb but thoughtful. It was the first night in a long while where pain and fear did not reign over his dreams. He might have not realised it at the time, but looking back now he understood that something was different that day. Aside from whether the change was for better or worse, it was still a change and that was what mattered.<p>

This latest dream had showed him that the passing of time can alter anything. Sooner or later things would move forward once again and he had to be ready to meet them. Despite appearances he was not a prisoner, but rather a shinobi of the Leaf and heir to the Inuzuka clan. Nothing would stop or cripple him, not even his own mind.


	6. Interlude 2: Found

**Title:** Strength

**Author:** ishala8

**Genre:** Hurt/Comfort/Romance

**Rating:** K (contains mild violence)

**Word Count:** 1399

**Disclaimer:** If I owned Naruto I would know what is going to happen next and wouldn't need to constantly check for manga updates. Sadly, I still need to wait patiently for updates like the rest of you.

**Summary:** An unexpected alliance.

**Dedicated to:** _Storm __Blackheart _who possesses a brilliant mind and enough ideas to share with others. Thank you for putting up with me!

**Last Revised On:** 04/11/11

* * *

><p><strong>Interlude <strong>**Two: **Found

* * *

><p><em>Akamaru showed no restraint as he jumped straight for the closest attacker's throat. He didn't have enough energy to fight and so his only chance stood with wounding them enough to hinder any attempt made to follow after him.<em>

_As the first enemy fell dead to the ground with no chance to defend against the feral attack a second got Akamaru from the side, throwing him hard against a tree. Dizzy and out of breath, the dog heaved his small body onto oversized paws and attempted to stand. He couldn't give up, not now._

_Shaking his muzzle, the ninken made to attack again only to receive a kunai to the ribs while on midair. Returning to the ground with a jarring thud, Akamaru could do nothing but attempt to remain conscious as his attackers approached with ugly sneers._

_His world was growing darker and he whined, sending an apology to his master for failing him. With eyes heavy and unfocussed, he didn't register the men surrounding him falling simultaneously, all of them dead before they even hit the ground._

* * *

><p>The dog woke with a pitiful whine and searched around the room for his owner only to find that Kiba was no where to be seen. He had come to expect the empty room upon waking every morning but this time it would simply not do.<p>

Jumping to all fours, Akamaru trotted outside in search of his partner. He needed the comfort Kiba's mere presence could provide. It didn't matter that Kiba was merely going through the motions of living as of late or that his comforting pats were simply mechanical, Akamaru _needed_him and anything would do.

He found Kiba meditating in the clan's training field. It was a familiar scene that had greeted him daily for the past month and still it was different. Something had changed within the boy and it was evident through the confident set of his shoulders and the big smile with which he greeted the ninken.

Akamaru didn't know what had changed, but as he lay on the ground next to his partner he was content. Life was getting back on track and that's as it should be.

* * *

><p><em>He woke pained and to the sound of unfamiliar voices. Scared, Akamaru whined pitiful, only for a steady hand to pat his fur gently. Turning his head painfully to the side, he suddenly locked eyes with world-weary sharingan pupils and froze, hypnotized by their intensity.<em>

"_Don't move or you'll reopen your wounds," explained the man in a soft timbre voice, lulling the ninken to a peaceful state._

_"You _do_ realise you are talking to a dog, right?" demanded a grating voice from the side and Akamaru acknowledged its owner's presence with a flick of his ears – moving hurt too much._

_The owner of the warm, comforting hands and wise eyes, did not seem to notice the question but instead chose to inspect Akamaru's hitai-ate. The ninken huffed and turned his head away, uncomfortable with the invasion of privacy. However, he couldn't feign disinterest as the man started talking once more._

"_You are one of the Inuzuka clan's ninken, correct?" A huff was his reply followed by a whine at the next question. "Where is your owner?"_

_The hand returned to smooth away the signs of distress as the man's partner looked on in distaste. _

"_Itachi, he is a dog!" he protested only to receive a glare from said Uchiha._

"_We are after the group of men you were fighting against," explained the male – Itachi, Akamaru noted. "Would you be able to lead us to them?"_

_Akamaru gave Itachi a searching look even as hope blossomed in his heart. He had lost time, but maybe this way he could make up for it. He did not completely trust the male; of course not. Even he had heard the tales of the dreaded Akatsuki and the infamous Uchiha in their midst, but this was a transaction that would benefit the both of them. Surely even Uchiha Itachi wouldn't be heartless enough to take advantage of a helpless puppy. Then again…_

"_You and your owner will be set free," he clarified, but it wasn't his words that convinced the ninken. Rather it was the earnest light shining in the very depths of his eyes._

_Even as his eyes threatened to close with fatigue, Akamaru gave a bark of agreement, sealing the deal and Kiba's fate. _

"_Thank you," he heard Itachi say as he gave into sleep. "We'll leave when you are feeling better."_

* * *

><p>Akamaru woke with a start in the middle of the night, the scent of wood smoke in his nostrils and warmth of pale hands on his back. For the first time since the dreams begun he didn't seek comfort in Kiba's arms, instead opting for the woods.<p>

The scent of pine and full moon above triggered hazy memories of comfort, laughter and friendship. Itachi… The name sounded like music to his ears. Yes, Itachi was what had been missing since their return to the village.

Coming to a stop deep within the forest bordering the Inuzuka compound, Akamaru pondered his next course of action. It was obvious that Kiba had still to remember what it was that he was missing – the friendship and warmth they had found in Itachi's company.

Akamaru doubted that Kiba would believe him if he was to say anything. If he hadn't felt the strong emotions that accompanied the dream or seen the hypnotic glow of those wise eyes, he would not have believed the truth either. No, he would wait for Kiba to realise on his own. In the meantime he had more important things to do, like bask in the memory of a faded smile and ponder why Itachi had allowed his mate to live him.

* * *

><p><em>Akamaru growled a warning as the shark, Kisame as he had come to know him by, attempted to make a comment. He didn't want to hear it now or ever. Yes, he was mad at the nukenin and was simply looking for an excuse to attack.<em>

_It had been twelve days! Twelve entire days since Kiba's capture and they were still no where close to finding him. It was all Kisame's fault and because of that Akamaru felt that his dislike of the shark-like shinobi was justified._

_Three days after Akamaru settled the deal with Itachi, the group had been ready to go. Akamaru wasn't exactly sure if he should blame himself or Itachi for that delay, so he let it rest. Obviously, he had been too wounded to move and could hardly track his owner from the arms of another, so they had waited for him to heal. Itachi had been the one to insist upon the wait despite Akamaru and Kisame's avid protests, so the ninken was not happy with him either._

_Once they had set out, Kisame had protested to Akamaru's way of tracking and insisted that he follow the sent of the missing-nin rather than that of his owner. A few good whiffs at bloodstained clothing, day-long treks through the forest and five abandoned corpses later Akamaru had snapped. Lips drawn back and fangs revealed, he had growled and refused to move until Kisame agreed to stop making him sniff at dead men's clothes._

_Annoyed at the shark-nin but excited over the new trail he had picked up, Akamaru bounded through the vegetation as the two Akatsuki members followed through the canopies above. This was it! He was sure he had the right trail this time and they were getting closer. Almost there…_

_Breaking through the trees and into a spacious clearing, Akamaru came to a sudden stop. It was empty. Why, how could it be empty? A forlorn howl sounded through the forest, startling the dozing wildlife._

_Rushing around with his nose to the ground Akamaru fought to pick up a new trail of where Kiba could have headed towards. It was hard. The entire clearing was bathed in his blood and the stench of unwashed bodies._

_As Itachi and Kisame broke through the trees after the ninken, they too were surprised at the remains of an obviously large and recent encampment. Kisame swore, while Itachi activated the sharingan to search for clues in the rapidly darkening landscape._

"_Don't worry," he reassured the dog, "we'll find him."_

_And for some reason, Akamaru believed him._

* * *

><p><strong><span>A Few Things to Clear Up:<span>**

**Dog Colourblindness**

I make an effort to avoid describing colours when using Akamaru's point of view to avoid confusion. In case I forget or _have_forgotten that fact and start referring to Itachi's sharingan as being 'golden' here is the explanation:

Dogs do _not_ see in shades of grey. Instead they are capable of seeing the world in grays, blues and yellows. To them red translates to a dark yellow, somewhere between yellow and gray, if that makes any sense. ^^;

**Akamaru and Itachi**

There is nothing romantic in that relationship people and I sincerely hope that it did not seem that way. Akamaru admires Itachi for his strength, wisdom and ability to take charge and care for those weaker than him. There is friendship involved but no weird fetish. Just to clear that out for all the sick-minded people out there (myself included considering I even thought the problem might arise, arg!).

**Author'sNote:** I received my first flame today and as such had to disable my anonymous reviews. I hope that's fine with everyone… Still, give me some love people, I'm miserable here!

On another note, exam block starts next week so I doubt I'll be posting an update till the 20th at the earliest. Sorry! *pouts*


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